Most times when clients and I meet for the first time, I may conduct a few informal assessments in order to get a better sense of what we are dealing with.  In the past I’ve not focused on categorizing clients into one category or another, partly because I’ve questioned the need but also because I’ve not had the proper assessment tools to do so.  As time passes, I’ve realized that formal diagnoses are sometimes necessary not only to guide my treatment plans, but also to communicate with other health professionals to coordinate services.

I recently took part in a training session of the Diagnostic Drawing Series (DDS), developed in 1982.  Barry Cohen, the primary creator of the DDS was the lead trainer, and described how it is one, if not the only empirically validated and reliable assessment tool that uses drawings to diagnose some of the conditions categorized in the DSM-IV.  The DDS is supported by over 30 years of research, which has not only been replicated numerous times in North America, but also in many countries across the world.

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